Acrimony and Malice
by krissyg927
Summary: This is a product of my what if mind. What if Carol and Daryl didn't like each other right from the jump. What if their kids went to school together and they had to see each other all the time. Caryl AU no ZA.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: I have been working on this a while, let me know what you think xoxxoxo Krissy.**_

Carol hip checked the back door at the office and walked out into the parking lot. Her arms were full of files that she had to look over that night after she and Sophia got done. Tonight was back to school night and Carol never missed it.

She was making her way across the parking lot to her car when her cellphone rang. She knew it was Sophia panicking that they were going to be late. She plopped her files on Connie's front hood. That was her car's name, Connie was a 1985 Porsche 911 Targa. Her baby, well her second baby. Sophia was her baby and her pride and joy.

Connie was another sort of baby because she won that car from her Ex-husband in the divorce.

Ed left town after their house sold and Carol bought a small house for her and Sophia. He didn't bother with Sophia at all, but that was ok. He wasn't missed, not by either of them.

Carol loved Connie, adored her actually, but there was an issue of course. Connie ran well and got her where she needed to go but the only drawback was the guy who worked on her. Ed's mechanic was a snot, every time she brought her in for repairs he stared at her like she had two heads. He never said two words to her and acted like a dick.

Maybe he didn't like women, Carol didn't know, nor did she care. But he was an asshole Connie had needed an oil change recently and she was over by a thousand miles and he about bit her head off over it.

Still, she loved Connie and would put up with one dickhead mechanic in order to drive her dream car. Ed had bought Connie for her and then tried to take her away for spite. He fought for the car but not his child and he didn't get either one.

She swiped the screen on her phone and answered.

"Hey sweetheart, I'm on my way." She said throwing the files onto the front seat and blowing a stray hair out of her eyes.

"I don't wanna be late Mom." Sophia said into the phone.

"We won't be; we can just go to sonic after wards ok?" Carol replied getting into Connie and starting her up. "Be there in five, meet me outside."

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Carol pulled up and Sophia was outside on the porch steps waiting for her. Carol stopped out front and Sophia launched herself off the steps and ran down the drive way to her. At fifteen, Sophia was a beautiful girl, tall and blonde. Someday her hair would be auburn, like Carol's. She had started out as a blonde as well and now her wavy hair was auburn. Sophia's hair was already getting darker as she got older.

Sophia bounced to the car and got in, giving Carol a kiss on the cheek. They were so much more than mother and daughter. They were best friends too. It was the two of them against the world. They fell into easy chatter about their day as they drove to the high school.

Her baby was a sophomore and she couldn't believe it, the time went by so fast. Carol was so grateful that despite the horrible first fourteen years of her life, Sophia had blossomed like a flower that wouldn't be stopped.

She was a daffodil that fought its way through the spring thaw and Carol was so proud of her.

They walked up to the school and there were people milling around outside. It was a warm night and the sun was still high in the sky. Sophia stopped short and grabbed Carol's arm suddenly and Carol gave her a quizzical look.

"There's the new kid Travis, he's smoking hot."

"There's no smoking out here." Carol teased.

"Mom." Sophia tapped her arm. "You know what I mean."

Carol shoulder bumped her and they walked on. As they got near the door, the boy Travis was laughing at something a man who's back was turned to her said and she saw smoke from a cigarette that the man held in his hand.

As she and Sophia approached Carol casually said. "There's no smoking."

The man in the concert T-shirt and jeans turned around with a scowl on his face ready to get into it with whoever said that. His scowl got even worse when he saw who it was, and he pushed his backwards baseball cap further down on his head.

It was the Porsche Targa lady that Merle couldn't stand.

Carol held her chin up, because she knew who this guy was too. He was one of the mechanics that worked on Connie. He wasn't the one that gave her dirty looks but he clearly didn't like her either. Fuck him and his piss poor attitude. If there was anyone else around who could work on Connie she would go there, but she couldn't. These guys were the only ones, and her money was as good as anyone else's.

She was not schlepping all the way to that over priced place in Atlanta and these guys were going to just have to deal with her.

"Hey Travis." Sophia said to the tall dark haired boy who clearly belonged to the smoker. He was a mini me of the guy only with dark hair. They both had the same tall lanky build only difference between them was Travis had dark hair and the father had blonder hair, and they both wore it long.

The boy smiled shyly at Sophia. "Hey Soph." And Carol noticed a sweet red blush creep over the boy's face. He seemed like a sweet boy.

They went inside and Sophia was grinning like, well, like a teenager with a crush.

"He's new here, his mother died and he and his father had to come live here with his uncle."

"Oh, that's a shame." Carol said, she felt bad about the boy losing his mother, she had lost her own mother at a young age and she felt that boy's pain. But, the father though? That guy was still a dick with a piss poor attitude. Carol hoped they wouldn't run into each other too much at school, she had enough of him every 3000 miles when she had to get Connie serviced.

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They sat in the auditorium as the principle talked on and on about nonsense and things that Carol had heard a hundred and one times, but she listened because this was her child's life.

Carol's friend Lori was sitting close by with her twins Carl and Judith. Carol suspected that Carl had a little crush on Sophia but by the way Sophia was staring at this new Travis kid, Carol knew Carl was out of luck.

Sophia was looking around steadily and Carol really wasn't surprised. It was bound to happen, Sophia had been a late bloomer, kind of a tomboy, just as Carol had been. But she was interested in boys now, that was clear. This was going to be an interesting year.

The principle was asking for parent volunteers to go on the class ski trip in January now and Sophia elbowed her. No one was volunteering, so Carol put her hand up, followed by a few other parents, Lori included. But she wanted to pull it right back down when she looked around because Travis's father had his hand up too.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you to everyone who is reading this different take on the Caryl relationship. There is talk of death by auto accident, just to warn anyone who might be upset. Its part of the story but will not be mentioned much after this.

 _ **Thank you again , I love you all.**_

Merle hoisted the golf bag over his shoulder and walked along the path of the golf course with Tyreese and Daryl who had his bag on a cart. Axel came up from the back dragging his bag on wheels as well. This could have been a scene from any weekend twenty years ago. The four of them golfed since they were twelve years old and caddied to earn green time.

But they were older now, the four boys that lugged other people's golf bags so they could play the course for free were gone now. They were replaced by older versions of themselves and hopefully they were a little wiser.

They walked along the shaded path that had over hanging trees at the golf course they had been playing at since they were kids. It was a sunny Saturday morning and Merle was planning to make this a habit every Saturday. Now that Daryl finally agreed. Maybe they could bring Travis too.

Tyreese and Axel were old friends of theirs and the four of them played often when they were younger. Merle was starting the tradition up again to get Daryl off the couch where he planted himself every weekend.

Merle got it, he was depressed and he missed her, but Daryl had a son that needed him and Merle was not going to watch his brother and Travis slip away into oblivion.

That wasn't happening on Merle's watch.

The garage that Merle and Daryl owned now had been their father's before he died and it had been successful. They worked on all the imports in Georgia practically, there was no other garage around unless you wanted to go to Atlanta, and most people didn't want to do that.

They had a good business, specializing in Jag's, Audi's and Porsche's. Before the old man died he had built a small fortune and reputation. Merle and Daryl really didn't need to work, but they wanted to, it was in their blood. Travis was going to work part time too and the three of them were going to start building a truck for him. Merle knew that nothing was never going to replace Kelly, but he was bound and determined to keep the two of them moving forward.

Daryl especially needed to keep busy, Kelly had only been gone a year and a half and he'd aged ten years in that time. He needed a distraction maybe many distractions. Merle intended to have him out on the golf course most weekends because all they ever did in New Jersey was surf.

This was Georgia, so now they were golfing.

Kelly had taught Daryl to surf and they both taught Travis. Many a weekend in the summer the three of them could be found on the beach at sunrise catching waves or hanging some rag on a sailboat at dusk. They had a wonderful life once upon a time.

Merle knew his brother had been deliriously happy in their little beach house on Long Beach Island. Kelly was a nurse at the mainland hospital, and Daryl turned wrenches at a local garage. They had been so happy.

Travis even worked at the Ron Jon surf shop on the island they lived on. But they didn't live there anymore. The little house on the bay was sold and long gone.

Merle was trying so hard to help his brother acclimate to Georgia again and truth be told her was glad he was back. He was sorry about Kelly, she was a nice girl, a good mother and far too young to die. But she did.

And that had to be dealt with, in Merle's opinion.

He needed to bring his brother back to life. He was only just forty and had a life ahead of him. Even if he thought he didn't and didn't want it.

Turning wrenches was in their blood and along with Axel and Tyreese, and the garage their father started still flourished. Daryl had been away for a long while after he married Kelly, totally immersed in her life from the first day they met.

They had met in college and she was from New Jersey. When they got married they went back there for thirteen years to her home town of Surf City on Long Beach Island.

They lived there happily until one day Kelly was coming home from work on the causeway. They literally lived six miles from the hospital she worked in.

She was killed by a drunk driver at seven am in the morning. She had to cover a night shift because she was the house supervisor and she had just called him to tell him she was on her way home.

He had been waiting on the porch for her with her favorite coffee when the police pulled up and he just knew.

Kelly had a traumatic brain injury and was alive for three days, although she was brain dead. It had been her wish to donate her organ's and Daryl made sure her wishes were carried out. It was the last thing he could do for her and he made sure he did exactly what she wanted.

He sat by her bed and was able to say good bye during that time, holding her hand and touching her hair for the last time and Travis did too, but it was no relief to either of them. She had been everything to Daryl and to her only son.

He did what she wanted and buried her ashes by her beloved sea, but he couldn't do what she also wanted. She wanted him to move on and make a life for Travis and himself, and he couldn't do that because she had been his life.

He didn't want this life now, such as it was, but he had a son to think of. So he floated through the days, unfeeling, waiting to be with her again.

Daryl and Travis could not keep it together after she was gone, Merle had visited a few times and was shocked at how they were existing. Merle begged Daryl to come back home and finally he agreed.

He sold their house on the bay side of the beach that she loved so much and Merle came to take them back to Georgia before his brother disintegrated entirely.

They had been back for five months and there was a change in both of them already that Merle noticed, however slight it might be.

The boy was doing good, making friends and making plans and today it looked like Daryl was turning a corner too. He agreed to come play golf and he was actually talking about something besides cars. He actually smiled slightly sometimes now.

Merle would take it; it was a welcome change from what he had been seeing the last two years.

Tyreese and his wife Karen had invited them all over later for a barbeque at their place so today was a good day in Merle's opinion.

"Hey little brother." Merle yelled to Daryl as he hit the ball into the woods for the third time that day. "That's some slice you got going on there."

Daryl held up his middle finger as he was putting his club back in the bag and Merle flipped him off.

Tyreese elbowed Axel. "He's coming around, huh?"

"Looks like it." Axel replied.

"He's a good guy." Tyreese said as Merle walked over to them. "It's good to see him doing better."

"Fucking sucks what happened to her, I met her once, I totally got why he followed her to New Jersey." Axel said.

 ** _A/N: Hanging some rag is a sailing term, it is when a sailboat hoists its sails. The house supervisor is a nurse in charge of the entire hospital for a shift. Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think :)_**


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: A little back ground and some revelations. Let me know what you think and as always thank you for reading._**

Merle laid down next to Travis under the '78 ford truck they were working on Monday afternoon after school. He handed him a wrench and took one himself to work on the chassis and bolt the engine back in. They had just dropped a fuel injected motor in it that they had rebuilt together along with Daryl, and soon it would be on the road again.

It still needed a tranny but they were making progress, haunting the junk yards for parts and what not. Merle's girlfriend Andrea worked at a parts store and gave them huge discounts on the business parts and for personal use. That was how Merle had met her, a few years ago. Andrea was a frequent person in Travis' life now and his only female role model at the moment.

The boy needed a mother figure and Merle had said as much to Daryl on more than one occasion. Daryl wasn't hearing that at the moment and Andrea had stepped in without being asked. Merle thanked her for the little things she did for Travis, which consisted of mostly talking to him when he wanted to.

She took him clothes shopping sometimes and to the movies every time a new Marvel movie came out. They were tight and both loved extra butter on their popcorn.

Andrea was at work that night so they were working on the truck and she was coming by later with oil and a filter for the truck.

Travis wasn't old enough to drive yet but when he was he would have a pretty sweet ride as Merle said. They had been working on this truck slowly since the month after Daryl and Travis came to live with Merle. Another thing to keep Daryl and Travis busy.

Merle made it his business to keep both of them so busy that they didn't have time to think. It worked most of the time, but when Daryl was alone he still thought of her. It still cut as deep as it did when it first happened, but if he was distracted he was ok, Merle was right about that. But at night alone in his room he knew, she was gone forever.

Travis was doing all the things a teenager did, making friends and thinking of girls, he was adjusting. It was different for him, he'd lost his mother and that was always going to be with him but his father had lost the love of his life. He knew that, he remembered how his parents had been with each other. He hoped one day to have that with someone.

 _But he would not let his father give up._

Daryl showed up with two pizzas' and kicked at Travis' leg under the truck. Travis slid out and stood up to face his father. They were like mirror images except Travis had Kelly's dark hair and Daryl's hair was dirty blonde. They both had the lean lanky build and they stood exactly the same, their hair was exactly the same and they both had blue eyes.

"The meeting is tonight, for the trip, you still going." Travis asked.

"It's only October? Trip isn't till January." Daryl said as Travis shrugged.

"I dunno, I heard they want to discuss fundraising or something."

"Alright, let's eat, come on Merle." He called to Merle under the car.

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Carol was talking to one of the teacher chaperones for the trip Tara, the English teacher, in the library where the class trip meeting was going to be. Sophia was sitting at one of the tables watching the door and Carl was next to her with Judith. Lori was in the kitchen making coffee and putting out cookies.

A few of the parents had shown up already and they were discussing fund raising ideas, there would be a car wash the next weekend and a bake sale.

The annual Halloween dance was going to donate part of the proceeds to the senior trip as well. The parents would have to pay some of it, but the bulk of it the kids were going to work for themselves.

This was a good experience at real life working and earning the things you wanted for the students. Carol was taking part in most of the fundraisers to offshoot her costs as well. Any parent volunteers got a discount as well.

Daryl and Travis were walking down the hall towards the library, Travis could see Sophia's head from where they were sitting inside. She was smiling and laughing at something Judith had said. He grinned and couldn't wait to see her.

"Ok, so Mrs. Grimes is married and Mrs. Johnson, but Sophia's mom is…." Travis was saying.

"Hold it kid, this aint the dating game and I aint interested." Daryl grumbled.

"I know, just filling you in on who's who." Travis shrugged.

"Sure kid, cause it's important for me to know who's married and who aint?"

Travis looked over at his father. He was better than he was, but still not like he used to be. Travis wanted him back 100% and he would keep trying every angle to get his father back. Something had to work, he didn't care if he dated. _He wanted his father to be happy again._

"Don't you ever want what uncle Merle and Andrea have?" Travis asked. His uncle and his girlfriend were the happiest couple he had ever seen, well the second. He knew it was rare indeed to find someone special, but you had to at least try.

"Had that Travis, you don't get that twice." He said slowing down and turning to Travis. Travis bit his thumb at his reply, a habit his father had too.

"She's a red head." Travis said.

"Who?" Daryl said.

"Sophia's mom." Travis said. "Don't you have eyes?"

"I aint interested in her."

 _Merle said she cheated on her husband. He wouldn't touch her with a ten- foot pole. His beautiful wife was gone and this woman still walked the earth. Life wasn't fucking fair._

"Why not, you need to make new friends." Travis said. "Don't mean you got to date her."

"Not her." Daryl said and they started walking again. "And I don't need any new friends."

"Yes you do, you're a nasty fuck." Travis said. "And she's hot."

"Don't care Travis." He said and the truth was, he had noticed her and she was hot. He didn't want to notice her, but he did.

"Well, Sophia is my friend and you might not have any choice but to get to know her." Travis said as they walked into the library.

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The kids were hanging outside talking with some of the others that were going on the trip all in a circle near the side of the building. There was a total of thirty-five kids going and they were going to have to be watched like hawks. Lori had made it very clear in her speech at the end of the night that if more parents could be rounded up that would be helpful.

The more the better.

There was a group of parents standing in the lobby of the school after the meeting was over and Tara was explaining about the car wash they were having at the school the next weekend. Merle had donated some buckets and sponges for them to use and he was going to help Travis and Daryl.

"Daryl, this is Carol, do you two know each other?" Tara said to him as he walked by taking his cigarettes out of his pocket.

"I know who you are." Daryl replied and looked at Carol. "The Targa." Then he lit a cigarette and walked away whistling for Travis to get moving. Travis looked up at him from his group of friends and Daryl motioned for him to get moving.

Tara and Carol looked at each other.

"He's so rude." Carol said.

Tara put her hands on her hips. "Maybe he's having a bad day."

"I had a bad life, you don't see me growling at everyone." Carol said.

"You my friend are an exception to every rule." Tara said.

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Sophia came downstairs in a halter bathing suit top and shorts and Carol looked at her from the kitchen table where she had been drinking her coffee on the car wash day. She stood up and pointed to her daughter and then to the stairs.

"Go get a t-shirt." She said.

"Mom!"

"Go." She pointed to the stairs. "You don't see me half naked do you?"

"Fine." She stomped up the stairs and Carol sat back down to drink her coffee. "I'm wearing a white one and having Carl hose me off." Sophia yelled from the stairs.

Carol laughed. "Keep it up kid and you're getting grounded."

"Love you." Came filtering down the stairs and Carol grinned to herself.

"Love you too."

Lori, Carl and Judith came to the door shortly after that with the signs that needed to get put up and the day was started.

Later when they got to the car wash Sophia was properly covered and Carol had put on some shorts and t-shirt too. They had hung up signs all over town so they were late arriving.

Andrea and Merle were there with Daryl and Travis and Merle turned to Andrea as Carol's car pulled into the school parking lot.

"Ed's car." Merle said to Andrea.

"Hers now." Andrea said. "Fair and square, get over it already."

"Ed told me she fucked the kids field hockey coach and the bartender down at Igor's." Merle said.

"He hit on me once, I never told you, but he had come in for new wiper blades and frankly I can't see it." Andrea said. "I don't think she's the type."

"Good thing you never told me or I woulda beat that fat ass of his." Merle said.

"That's why I didn't tell ya." Andrea shoulder bumped him.

"That a Nine Inch Nails shirt she's wearin?" Merle asked putting his hand up over his eyes.

"Just cause she likes a different type of music doesn't make her a bad person." Andrea said.

"Doesn't help." Merle replied.

Travis ran past them to go help Carol and Sophia take more buckets out of her car. And Merle watched him as she stopped and talked to Carol and Sophia. Lori and her two kids pulled in soon after them and Carl got out with a bag of sponges. Three girls came running over to Travis and Carl and those boys were eating it up with a spoon.

"Yeah that kid takes after me." Merle said. "Chasing the pretty girls already."

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Daryl leaned up against the truck watching the kids wash the cars. Lori and Carol were right in the middle of everything, both getting sprayed with water and then he watched as Sophia snuck up on her mother and almost dumped a bucket of water on her. Carol must have heard her and turned around scaring Sophia who dropped the bucket right on her own foot.

Daryl laughed at her, clearly she was a good mother, being so involved with her daughter's life. He never saw them apart and in a way she reminded him of Kelly and how she was with Travis. Kelly was the first to volunteer for anything having to do with school and he knew he would never fill her shoes.

Carol was that kind of a mother too. But that didn't mean he had to like her.

Travis came running up to him. "Dad the Grimes invited us to a barbeque tonight, everyone's going, can we?"

He nodded tossing down his cigarette.

"Sure T."

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Daryl stood outside smoking a cigarette at the Grimes house on the front porch out of the way of food and kids. He looked up and rolled his eyes at Carol pulling up in the Targa. Sophia was out the door and running to the backyard the second it stopped.

"Is Travis out there Mr. Dixon." Sophia called to him and he nodded at her. He started to stand up and follow her and Carol called out to him.

"Wait a second." She said and he stopped but didn't turn around. "I know you don't like me; I want you to know that I don't care."

She said as she walked past him.


	4. Chapter 4

Four

 ** _A/N: I love compliments and thank you so much to all the people who leave me love on all my stories. You have no idea how much it means to me. I work really hard on everything I write and appreciate the love I get back. If you think it's easy I invite you to do it sometime, but don't stop at just writing. You have to put it out there to the internet, for people to read and critique as well. You have to fret over dialogue and syntax and if people will understand what you are trying to say in your writing. You have to open your heart to the world and let them see what's inside you at your very soul. This is not for the weak or faint of heart._**

 ** _But feel free to tell me how to write in the meantime so I can delete you._**

 ** _As I said I love reviews and compliments, but don't think for a minute I am fooled by a back handed ANON compliment meant to drag me. Keep it, I have no time for that. I write for the wonderful people who get it, for my bff Magenta and for me. I ignore any nonsense that is sent my way, seriously don't bother because I will delete you faster than a bolt from Daryl's crossbow._**

The back yard of the Grime's house had picnic tables and a barbeque grill set up on the deck. It looked like every parent and kid from the fundraiser was there and then a few more. Some of the teachers were there too, if they worked the fundraiser. Of course, the favorite teacher Tara Chambler was there with her girlfriend Alisha.

Tara taught English Lit and was the Drama coach at school, she took part in most of the activities with the students and had a down to earth style that was very popular with the students.

Sasha and Bob Stokey, who lived next door to Carol, and Abraham Ford and his wife Rosita from three houses down also stopped by. The Grimes family always invited everyone in sight to their parties and they had them often.

It was a full house and that was exactly how they liked it.

Carol was busy helping Lori and the kids were set up at a table off to the side, away from the adults.

For the first week in October it was still really nice out and not dark too early yet. Rick had strung up Christmas lights in the trees and paper lamps which gave the yard a nice glow at dusk. He had hung the same lights up for Carol on her deck and she sat out there almost every night with her tea and a book to read.

Carl and Judith came outside with drinks for their friends and they all set to massacre a bowel of potato chips and pretzels.

They weren't sitting with parents tonight and this was the start of how it was going to be now. Lori and Carol had watched their kids grow up together and still this new territory was like walking through a minefield.

Teenagers were a scary bunch and not for the faint of heart.

Daryl and Carol did an excellent job of avoiding each other after her revelation in the front yard, and that was just fine with both of them. They would hate each other from afar.

She and Lori kept the food coming out from the house and Rick and Daryl were manning the grill. Both on opposite sides of the yard, and all was right in the world.

They stayed out of each other's way, and pretended the other wasn't there and the night went well.

Later, Lori walked over to Carol as she watched the kids playing a game of cards after all the food had been eaten.

"Judith wants to invite a boy over for dinner this week." She said looking over at them with Carol.

"When did our babies grow up?" Carol said to her.

"Right under our noses apparently." Lori said. "Rick is going to have a cow."

"And big brother, look at him, Carl looks like he wants to punch out Travis just for looking at Sophia." Carol laughed.

"She's his sister too as far as he's concerned, Travis better watch it." Lori laughed. "Weren't we just helping them cut out paper dolls and finger paint."

Carol nodded. "And now we have dates and proms to look forward to."

"I'm not ready." Lori said in a whisper.

"Me either." Carol said.

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The party was a success and it was a nice night for everyone. When Carol and Sophia walked across the street to their house after wards they were tired and happy. The bickering they had done over Sophia's outfit long forgotten. Carol couldn't wait to make a cup of tea and sit outside in her oversized lounge chair with a good book.

It had a huge cushion on it and she sat out there as often as she could. There was never time to read and relax before and now she indulged often now that she was free.

"Did you have fun today sweetie?" Carol asked and Sophia nodded.

"It was the best." She replied. "Tomorrow can you take Carl, Judy and me to the movies." She asked.

"What's playing or shouldn't I ask?" She grinned.

"Suicide Squad, want to come see it again."

"I kind of do." She said taking Sophia's hand. "Lori will want to go too."

"I know Judy is asking her and a few other kids from around, ok?" Sophia asked.

"Sure pumpkin."

"I invited Travis and his Dad too." She said skipping into the house and Carol sighed, Sophia didn't know about her acrimonious relationship with Travis' father, she was just a teenage girl who liked a boy.

Carol turned back towards Lori and Ricks house and saw Travis and Daryl talking to Rick. She was going to have to sit through an entire movie with this guy that she didn't like very much, all for her daughter. It was totally going to backfire and she just knew it. But a mother had to do some things they didn't like for their kids at times and this was one of them.

That was motherhood. Sophia had taken a shine to this kid and he was a nice kid. There was nothing wrong with him at all, he didn't pick his father and it wasn't his fault.

It could always be worse, if putting up with one ornery man for her daughter was all she had to do, she would do it gladly. It could be worse.

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Daryl and Travis showed up to the movie late and sat on the outside of the row. Carol was on the inside with Lori and Judith. Carl, Sophia and Travis were next in the row and then Daryl. It was fine and they hadn't had to say a word to each other.

Each kid had a bucket of popcorn and a soda but Carol was eating gummy Bears, her absolute favorite. Now that Ed was gone she could have what she wanted without him checking receipts and saying she had a fat ass.

It was going fine.

Then Carol had to pee, and it wasn't easy being discrete in a movie theater. This was just her luck, she climbed across the kids who all stood up and then she tripped. She couldn't stop herself and then she felt his hands on her steadying her, just above her waist.

"You don't have to throw yourself at me." He whispered.

"Shut up, I'm trying to get to the bathroom." She hissed at him. "You can let go now."

She said looking down at his hands just below her rib cage. "Sorry." He said and pulled his hands off of her, but she thought she felt him squeeze her just a little bit first. She could have sworn his thumbs moved against her too, like a lover's caress.

She contemplated that as she walked up the isle to the lobby and how his touch had made her feel. She felt _something._

Carol decided to ignore her obviously misdirected hormones because he didn't have to hold on to her that long. She had been ready to make amends with him too, for Sophia's sake, before she tripped and practically fell on his lap.

Now it was weird.

When she came back he wasn't in his seat so she just climbed her way back to her seat. A few minutes later he came back and sat down next to Travis again handing him one of the bags of gummy bears he had bought.

After the movie Lori was busy telling the kids about the upcoming dance for Halloween and Carol walked over to where he was standing with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.

He rolled his eyes at her when he saw her coming towards him, because he knew this wasn't going to be good. So much for being a gentleman and not letting a lady fall. He knew she would have something snarky to say.

"So, I haven't been felt up at the movies in a long time." She said.

"Pfffttt, next time I'll let you fall on your ass." He said, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth and exhaling

"You have no sense of humor at all." She countered. "Seriously, you should remove that stick that's up your ass."

"Remember how you said you don't like me, well I don't like you either."

"Good, I'm glad we're on the same page, hands to yourself next time." She said and turned to walk away.

 _Snarky_

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"His father's cute." Sophia said to her as they drove home from the movie later that night. They had stopped at Sonic for takeout and were going home.

"Travis' father?" She asked, but she knew who Sophia meant. _Too bad his personality is godawful._

"They like gummy bears like us." Sophia said taking hers out and popping a few in her mouth. "He can't be all that bad."

It was on the tip of her tongue to say something, but she bit it instead. Sophia's world was still such where liking the same candy made you a friend, and Carol wasn't going to be the one to take that away from her.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: The writers block is evil this week. Hope you enjoy and let me know what you think.

Carol sat in the waiting room of the garage reading a book with her legs crossed. She needed to get Connie in for an old change before this but she was busy with her new position at her job. She had been promoted recently and gotten a raise, but with that came more responsibility and more hours.

She was delayed tonight because she had to get Connie serviced. She could see through the glass that the two Dixon brothers were having an argument in front of Connie and she was sure it had something to do with her. Finally, she saw Daryl stalk outside presumably to smoke, because she never saw him without a cigarette in his mouth.

Merle Dixon came out of the shop and into the office where she was sitting with one other customer.

"Ms. Peltier? Ma brother is gonna bring the car around for you. You got to get Connie in here on time for the oil changes. I aint gonna take any bullshit about her seizing up on you if you don't maintain her the way ya supposed to. Older cars need to be taken care of the right way. I put a sticker in the window and you make sure you get in here on time next time."

Carol was standing up and gathering her things as he talked, the other person had in earphones otherwise she would have cut him right off.

"Or you can go to those crooks in Atlanta from now on."

"I know you're the only game in town Merle, believe me. I'm not here cause I wanna be, how much?" She replied.

"Seventy." He replied.

Carol pulled out her credit card. "You're a crook Merle, I can go to STP up the road and get this done for fifty."

"Go ahead and they'll fuck up your oil pan." He said taking her credit card and running it through the card machine and handing it to her. "Then we'll have to send all the way to the motherland for parts for that bitch, trust me." He handed her the slip to sign. "This is a steal."

"Get bent Merle." She said and walked outside to wait for Daryl.

Merle watched her go and shook his head. He would try to hit that now that she wasn't married but he had heard from her ex what kind of woman she was. No thank you.

He still talked to Ed on occasion and he wasn't going to go there.

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Daryl had Connie outside when Carol came out from paying her bill. He wanted Merle to do the hand off but Merle had refused and told him he had to do it. Merle wanted to collect her money and give her shit just on principle.

She came out of the office exasperated and Daryl was standing there leaning on Connie smoking his cigarette as she suspected.

"Did you smoke in my car?" She opened the passenger door and threw her purse and book in.

"Held it out the window."

"I don't know which one of you is worse I swear." She said coming to the driver side and opening the door. She got into the car, cranked up the music and peeled out of the parking lot. Connie was a quick car and let a girl make a grand exit, that was for sure.

Merle came out and stood next to Daryl as they watched her bolt down the road, pedal to the metal.

" She sure knows how to drive that car, that's for sure." Merle said.

"Yeah, big deal." Daryl said. "She's a lead foot."

"Travis likes her kid." Merle said lighting a cigarette.

"I know; I see her far more than I'd like believe me."

The stood and watched as she disappeared down the road.

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Carol sat at the table at the entrance to the school dance with Lori outside the gym. They were handing out tickets to the kids and supervising to make sure no one was sneaking out the back door. Their own kids included. Sophia made no secret that she liked Travis now and Carl too had a girlfriend named Lisa, who Lori knew he had liked for a while. Things were changing fast.

It was bittersweet, but the kids were at that age where they needed to be watched a little closer than in the past. They weren't little anymore, but they weren't grown either. It was an awkward age to be at, teetering on the edge of adulthood. The adults knew and remembered and were grateful that they made it out of their teen years alive.

Kids forgot that their parents had been there and done that. Now they chaperoned, trust but verify being the key to having teenagers.

The kids were all changing so fast, and like it or not the rules had to change with them.

It was Halloween and everyone was dressed up, the kids and the adults alike. Carol was dressed as Harley Quinn and Lori was dressed as Poison Ivy. They wore the same costumes every year, and Ed used to have a shit fit that she dressed up for Halloween. He would always make her pay for it after, but it was one thing she didn't let him take from her.

It was her favorite holiday ever since she was a kid, and Sophia's favorite too. She was determined to always make it fun, no matter what Ed said.

They dressed up, they trick or treated, when Sophia was little and now she was at the dance since Sophia was older now. He didn't get to take that away from Sophia.

Now he was gone and the annual fight and beating over Halloween was never going to happen again.

Carol had found a good friend in Lori Grimes, they had kids in the same class and a mutual love for DC Comics and Nine Inch Nails. They met when the kids were in kindergarten and had been best friends ever since.

Lori was one of the few people in town who knew just what Carol had gone through in her marriage. The abuse she endured to protect Sophia at Ed's hand. She kept the secret for her friend and now it didn't matter anymore.

 _Things were different now, finally._

Lori and Rick lived across the street from Carol now, and when she looked for her house, she looked in their neighborhood and scored a great little place for them.

Carol and Sophia were building a life together in their cute little house and it was long overdue.

She was almost over the trauma of life with Ed Peltier and Sophia was blossoming into a girl that her mother never got to be.

Carol had married him at such a young age and he almost destroyed her. It had been very close, but she survived. He almost broke her, but almost didn't count.

He tried to kill everything about her but he didn't kill her spirit though, and eventually Ed decided he was done with her and moved on to his secretary.

 _Carol had prayed for her husband to find someone else and that prayer came true._

They were married now and he was her problem now. Carol supposed his new wife was finding out some things that she didn't want to find out about her beloved now. She had thought about warning the poor woman but it would have fallen on deaf ears, Ed was always charming, in the beginning.

Ed stayed away from her and Sophia and that was all that mattered. He never even asked for visitation and Carol was thrilled by that.

Carol was enjoying her life and her daughter and doing things with her. If anyone asked Sophia who her best friend was, she would say her mother.

That was rare indeed in this day and age, when kids and parents were at odds with each other. Their bond was unbreakable.

They had each other now and always and the support system Carol and Sophia had in this town was phenomenal.

She was grateful every day for them and counted her blessings now that Ed was gone. She wasn't that woman who endured his abuse anymore, she was a woman with a voice that would not be silenced. No matter who didn't like it.

 _Those days were over and nothing would send her back there again._

Carol was getting a tray of her special cookies to put out for the parents when they picked up their children when she saw Travis walking towards the door. He was dressed up in a nice white button down shirt and jeans, having forgone a costume for the night.

Sophia would like seeing him so dressed up, he was indeed a cute kid.

"Oh, here comes Travis, Sophia's boy crush." She said to Lori.

"Travis?" Lori asked laughing. "I didn't see that coming."

"Yup" Carol asked. "None of us did right?"

"Too bad about Daryl's wife." Lori said. "I look at that kid and my heart breaks for him."

"What?"

"She died in a car accident a year or so ago." Lori said. "They had to come back here to live with his brother; Daryl was having a terrible time coping with it."

"Oh that's so horrible, that poor boy. But Daryl's an ass every time I bring Connie in for an oil change or any other time I see him."

"He's a really nice guy, Carol." Lori said. "He's been through a traumatic experience."

"Ah, I get that, been there remember?" She said arranging the cookies on the plate. "He doesn't get to be a jerk. He's lucky I don't give him a piece of my mind."

"Still, if you got to know him, maybe." Lori looked up at her.

"I have no desire to, I'll see him when I have to for Sophia, but otherwise I hope he stays away from me. I don't like him."

"Oh." Lori said. She protested too much in Lori's opinion, and she was going to just sit back and watch this whole thing unfold.

 _Where was the popcorn when you needed it? Her friend actually showed passion about another person, besides her child a new development indeed._

"I'm sorry for both of them but he's so rude, looks at me like I killed his dog or something. It's a pity because he's easy on the eyes, but that personality..." She said shaking her head. "Kills it." She said and Lori giggled as Travis walked up.

 _Yup, things around here were about to get really interesting._

"Evenin Ms. Grimes, Ms. Peltier."

"Hey Travis." Carol said smiling at him.

"Carl and the girls are in there already, go on in." Lori said handing him a ticket, which he thanked her for. The boy had manners and Carol was sure that came from the mother. The Dixon brothers didn't look or act like good manners were a priority to them at all.

"He's a good kid." Carol said as he walked into the gym.

Lori turned and from outside she could see Daryl's truck drive by the school doors, then she turned back to Carol.

"He's a nice guy, truly he is, just guarded, you know, hard to see and get to know." Lori said. "Rick likes him a lot."

"I see him just fine, he's an ass and has been since I told him no smoking on school grounds back in September. His brother worked on Connie three weeks ago and he just glared at me the whole time and smoked in my car, Rick can keep him."

"How about the barbeque?" Lori asked. "The movies, how was that?"

"I told him I didn't care what he thought of me." Carol said. "And to get the stick out of his ass."

"Of course you did." Lori laughed.

He friend didn't pull any punches with anyone, it was a blessing and a curse. Since her marriage ended she made it a point to never be silent about things again.

"I'll tell you what, I won't be so contrary the next time I see him ok? Will that make you happy?" Carol asked.

"Sure."

"Won't matter, he'll still look at me like I have three heads."

"Maybe he likes what he sees." Lori said trying to play devil's advocate. That's what best friends were for after all.

"In his dreams, I would go near him if he was the last man on earth."


	6. Chapter 6

Daryl came in to pick up Travis and Lori was in the bathroom. He stopped short just before the table, because there was Carol was standing at the gym door looking in at the kids. He stood there rooted in place and his eyes moved over her from her toes to her head. Then back over her again, slower this time.

She was smoking hot in that costume and as long as she didn't open her mouth he could stare all night. If she started running her mouth, he was out though.

She didn't know he was there and he didn't say a word, he just enjoyed the view. It was a damn nice view. It wasn't the 'Suicide Squad' costume, but the Harley Quinn dress costume with the sweetheart neckline, thank Christ, that would have been way too much to take.

Still, he couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Lately he had been coming out of that fog he had been in for so long, it was slow, but it was happening. He found himself able to enjoy things again and wanting to do things, not dreading the beginning of a new day.

It was a little scary and a little exhilarating. Change was not an easy thing for anybody, he wasn't unique. This was a slow process, as all of the counselors in New Jersey he saw had told him.

It was baby steps he kept telling himself and for now that was good enough for him. This was the first he noticed a woman in a long time, but why did it have to be _this woman?_

He knew she was his age and damn did she look good, but her personality had a lot to be desired as far as Daryl could see. He was not interested in ever talking to her if he could help it and he avoided her at all costs.

Merle was a complete ass for making him turn her car over to her three weeks ago and he was pissed at him still. Daryl always got the shit jobs at work.

But, he knew his kid and her kid were friends and they would have to speak to and see each other, but he was not going out of his way to find her.

He had found her now though, like it or not.

Daryl was actually impressed with her telling him exactly how she felt the night at Lori and Rick's and again at the movie. She just walked right up to him and told him off. He sure wouldn't smoke in her car again either. You had to respect the fact that she didn't take any shit from anyone, even Merle.

 _It was almost hot._

This woman with the great ass had balls of steel. You had to admire a woman with balls and he always did, having no use for shrinking violet types and wimpy girls. Kelly had balls and that was one of the things that had attracted him to her right from the jump.

She never let him get away with a thing, and she called him out on his bullshit every time. He missed her terribly and the way she used to make him feel. She made him feel alive.

 _For the past few years without her, he would have happily joined her, because he didn't feel alive, but lately, he felt like he was coming back to life again. It was a process, he kept telling himself._

This was going to bite him in the ass though, he just knew it. And not in the good way either. He was going to have to get along with her somehow, for Travis' sake.

For a brief moment he felt guilty for looking at her. As if he was being unfaithful to Kelly, but Kelly wanted him to live life and life included women. They had talked about what would happen if one of them died.

They talked about it a lot, as if they knew somehow that they wouldn't be together forever. In hindsight, thinking of it now, all their conversations gave him peace now.

Making a life with someone else was what they agreed to, he made _her promise him she would remarry one day._

 _He was so sure it would be him to go first. It never occurred to him once that he would be the one left alone._

Daryl had made it clear to her that he wanted her to move on if it had been he that died, and he would have haunted her until she did. He promised her that. He had always thought he would go first and that was the biggest problem of all.

She went first.

Daryl was trying, for Travis and for himself and every day it was getting better. Eventually he would date again, when he was ready and he wasn't looking.

Carol was gorgeous though, her face, her hair, everything about her, there was no mistaking that. That fucking costume was something he could never unsee either.

 _Not her please not her. He sent up a silent prayer to whoever was listening. He knew one thing about himself, when he finally did fall for someone it would be just like it was with Kelly, all in 100%._

 _Just not her. As if you ever had a choice about those things._

She was tapping her foot to the music, some song about too hot, hot damn or something and singing softly. He didn't get the new music at all, but damn her hips were swaying nice to it.

Lori came around the corner and saw him looking at Carol's ass and every other part of her it seemed. She stopped and backed up to the side of the hall way and leaned against the wall. Her eyes big and wide in shock.

"Nice costume Carol." He said and she jumped at the sound of his voice. He was a sneaky bastard wasn't he?

Carol turned around and glared at him. "You scared the shit out of me Daryl."

"Sorry." He laughed. "Harley Quinn? Where's your hammer?"

"Oh, so you know who it is?" She said as Lori came around the corner.

"Of course, the movie? Remember when you tried to sit in my lap." He laughed.

"I did not try to sit in your lap you conceited ass." Carol said putting her hands on her hips.

"It was a good movie, all of it." He smiled at her a smile that was full of mischief. "but I prefer Marvel, I'm an Avengers guy."

Lori's eyes grew wide watching them talking. He didn't talk to women, not that she ever knew. Rick said he wasn't interested at all, there was a new officer on the force, a really nice girl. Rick had tried to hook Daryl up with her and he had nicely said no thank you. Three times and one of them just two days ago.

Now he was talking to Carol, this was a development worth reporting and Lori was doing just that, right away.

She took out her phone and shot out a quick text to Rick and then she walked back into the vestibule.

"I'm sure you are." Carol replied, she was a DC comic girl and didn't give a flying one about Captain America. "I bet you like Star Wars too"

"What's that mean?" He said, the hair raising on the top of his neck. She was just as annoying as usual, he thought to himself. She was trying to trip him up with the oldest geek controversy in the world. Marvel vs. DC. Start Trek Vs Star Wars, did she think he was new?

He watched Star Trek, not Star Wars, didn't everybody? He kind of resented her inference that he was on the other team. _This wasn't the X-files Vs Roswell after all. That was no contest and the battle lines were drawn through that fandom and all of the others._

He knew where the battle lines of sci fi were drawn, he didn't live under a rock and he had a teenage son.

"Nothing." She replied in a way that meant nothing was something, but she wasn't going to tell him. _She was so annoying._

Lori came over and opened the door for him to the gym.

"You're something else, you know that." He squinted his eyes at Carol and she snickered.

He huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Oh get over yourself." She laughed. "I was just pushing your buttons."

 _Well, that didn't come out right._

He grinned, to let her off the hook or not, that was the question.

"And for your information I'm not into Star Wars." He said, totally ignoring the awkward slip she just made. He let it go and let her off the hook. But maybe she did push his buttons, especially in that get up.

She was cute…

Annoying and mouthy, but cute.

"Sure." Carol said. "But you look like you're a Loki fan."

"Totally different subject." He said leaning casually against the door jamb.

"I'm aware, I'm just saying…" She said shrugging her shoulders and leaning against the other door.

"You know what…" He said taking a step towards her.

Now she was just being annoying for no reason, he thought to himself. He was turning to say something to her, with his finger to point to her and Lori jumped in before it got ugly.

"There's Travis, dancing with Sophia." Lori pointed him out to Daryl, hoping to stop him from getting into a rumble with Carol. Although she was sure they both _wanted to fight._

 _These two were either going to kill each other or rip each other's clothes off eventually._

Daryl looked over and Carol was on the other side of the door watching them intently.

"He's a good kid." Carol said.

"Thanks." Daryl said. "and your girl, she's very sweet."

"Thanks." She said and they didn't say another thing to each other, the kids were friends and he knew this wasn't about him.

He didn't have to like all of Travis' friend's parents, but he had to be agreeable to people. But he wasn't good at it yet, Kelly did all the school stuff and he was just bumbling his way through it now.

He knew he would get better at it eventually and maybe next time he wouldn't get into a fight over Star Wars and The Avengers with her, although he was pretty sure Carol could fight about anything. Anything.

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"Hey Dad, Sophia's mom looked slamming didn't she?" Travis said as they drove home after the dance. "Soph dressed as Wonder Woman, I guess they have a thing for DC Comics."

"Ya think?" Daryl replied laughing, he waited for it to start because he knew it would. Travis thought he knew everything, and he guessed at that age so did he. They had an easy relationship and could talk about anything. That was a good thing and a bad thing.

Travis worried about his father and he wasn't shy about it either.

"She would want you to have someone Dad." Travis said. "She wouldn't want you to sleep walk through life and be sad."

"Travis." Daryl said wanting to stop the conversation, he didn't want Travis to worry about him. He was a young kid and deserved a life of not worrying about what his father might do. He lived a life like that, battered by someone who was supposed to love him. It had ruined him, until he met her of course.

Kelly had saved him and made him the man he was today.

He wanted so much more for his son and went out of his way to make sure he had it, no matter what. Daryl suspected it was partly why he never came back home after he met Kelly. He totally immersed himself in her and her life at the beach.

It had been the best thing to do at the time. It had been a wonderful life, but it was gone now. He needed to make a new life now, he knew that deep down inside.

He never regretted staying in New Jersey for a second and Travis was a happy kid, like Daryl wanted. They were tight and the best of friends. While he was helping Travis fix up the truck for himself he saw how his son was growing into a man before his eyes.

But he didn't know everything about life, not yet, not at his age.

"Hear me out ok?" Travis said.

Daryl looked over and nodded. He would hear him out and then he would do what he wanted, as usual. He wasn't ready for anything else, just functioning was a skill right now and Travis just didn't get that.

 _He was a kid._

Daryl still dreamed about her sometimes at night and woke up thinking she was still here sometimes, but she wasn't and his heart broke all over again every time. He'd sit up in bed and realize they weren't in Surf City anymore and she wasn't next to him.

The air would suck out of his lungs every time and he wouldn't be able to catch his breath. Sometimes he cried, quietly so Travis wouldn't hear from the room next door.

"I know all about how you met in line registering for classes at college and how she fought with you over the last seat in Philosophy class and won. How she told you that you needed to take Psyche instead because you were such an asshole. And how you got out of line and followed her and you were never apart from that day." Travis paused. "But she would be so sad to see you like you've been, thank god Uncle Merle came and got us because I was afraid you were going to drive off the bridge."

"I would never leave you alone, I know I was in a really dark place back home and I'm sorry you had to see it. But I'm here for you always and no matter what 100%." Daryl said. "I would never leave you."

"I know." Travis nodded. "I know Dad."

"It was a really bad time, but I was never going to leave you." Daryl said, even if it wasn't true. He had thought about just going to be with her, but that was short lived. "I think I'm getting better. Don't you?"

"Yes you are and that's great Dad, but you have to think of yourself too, your future."

"I'm trying." He said and Travis nodded. "So Sophia your girlfriend or what?"

They drove in silence for a while.

"I'm trying." Travis said breaking into a smile that looked just like his father's smile.


	7. Chapter 7

_**I struggled to get this perfect and it wasn't but I cant mess with it anymore or its going to make me insane. Let me know what you think.**_

Daryl couldn't believe himself and he was having an anxiety attack over it. More and more he had found himself thinking about her and it was wrong. She was wrong, so wrong for him, but that fucking Harley Quinn costume was just about the best thing he had seen in ages.

 _It did him in when he saw her in it tonight._

He couldn't deny that she was an attractive woman, but he didn't even like Carol, how was it that she was dancing across his mind where Kelly should be?

He missed Kelly with every part of his being and thinking about another woman felt like the ultimate betrayal.

He hated himself more than he ever though possible right now because he was engaging in a fantasy about Carol in that costume.

Daryl didn't ever use fantasy to get off, since Kelly died it felt dirty and wrong, and he couldn't think of her or he would sink back into that black hole Merle had pulled him out of.

Usually he just did it without emotion or thoughts of _anyone._ Certainly not Kelly or a movie star or the local MILF.

But here he was, wasn't he?

He was laying in his room with the door locked, his boxers slid half way down his legs and his dick in his hand.

Totally hating himself. It wasn't that he didn't jerk off because he did. But he never thought of anyone when he did it, not even Kelly.

She wasn't coming back and he couldn't bear to think of her that way. He usually didn't think of anyone, he just did it and got off and that was the end of it, but that fucking costume. That costume was going to haunt him for the rest of his days, he was sure of it.

Now it had him thinking all kinds of things and he hated himself. He closed his eyes and thought about her anyway because from the minute he saw her tonight he hadn't been able to get his head back on straight.

Maybe this would help, and maybe it would just go away if he got it out of his system, got _her out of his system._ It didn't take long and he forgot all about the guilt as he was stroking his dick. He spit on his hand and continued thinking about her. In his mind she was wearing the costume and straddling his lap.

He was sitting in a straight back chair in his mind and she was on top of him.

He could almost feel her against him, her hands on his chest and over his shoulders. Her breath on his neck, it felt so real. Her hips were grinding against him and she was whispering the dirtiest things into his ear.

He could feel the breeze from the open window against his skin and the hairs all stood up all over his body. His hips were moving independent of his hand and bucking against the bed like he was a teenager. He could hear her words in his ear, she was telling him to come and it was the hottest thing he had ever imagined in his life. He had no choice but to obey the girl in his mind, when she spoke to him like that.

The sweat was dripping down his neck and back mixed with the cool breeze and all of his senses were alive when he finally let go and came all over his stomach, suppressing the groan that he wanted to let out so badly.

But he didn't want anyone to hear him, he felt bad enough already.

He wiped off with his t-shirt and threw it on the floor. Then he rolled over and fell into one of the deepest sleeps of his life.

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"She didn't cheat on Ed." Rick said standing up and wiping the sweat off of his face. "It was the other way around and he smacked her around too."

Daryl and Rick were tuning Rick's car up in Rick's driveway and Daryl had stopped to light a smoke. They could see her house across the street. It was a week after the dance and still, every time he thought of her in that costume, well, it was always the same affect.

Daryl looked at him incredulous." That's not what Merle says."

There was music playing from Carol's house some nineties bullshit. It sounded like Sublime, Daryl wasn't a ska reggae music fan at all. She was playing the whole album too. Santeria, Badfish, April 29th, Wrong Way, Smoke Two Joints. It was torture.

"She always play that bullshit so loud?"

Rick nodded. "I think she's cleaning; Lori does the same thing when she cleans only its eighties punk rock, be happy we aren't listening to The Clash right now."

"I like The Clash." Daryl replied.

He reached down to where the cooler full of water was and grabbed a water bottle and leaned against the car.

"So." Daryl said and then he was distracted as they watched Carol come outside and shake a carpet over her porch. _She was so fucking distracting._

They could hear her singing. "Let it burn, wanna let it burn, wanna let it burn, wanna, wanna let it burn, I feel insane." She had no idea they were watching her, Daryl felt almost like a voyeur. Lately he spent way too much looking at her when she didn't know it.

 _Too much time thinking about her too._

"So, what? Merle's wrong about her?" Daryl asked taking a deep drag off his cigarette.

"She's a good woman, a good mother. I've known her a long time. He was the asshole in that marriage, not her."

He almost felt bad now for imagining her blowing him the night before while he jerked off again. Almost, because it didn't matter now. If she was a good woman or a bad one, she was part of his fantasy life now and it didn't even matter whether he wanted her there or not.

Ever since Halloween, she was his bed partner in his dreams. He wasn't surprised to find out Merle might be wrong about her. She really seemed okay except for that smart mouth of hers.

Daryl had never met her ex, but Merle did say he was a dick. Still, knowing that Merle stuck to his stupid bro code with her ex-husband, and the guy lied? That made him feel badly for judging her, and worse for fantasizing about her. It was easier somehow if she was who he had thought she was and now? Well, it didn't make him feel differently, she had on a pair of cut off jean shorts right now that were riding up her ass. He still felt the same, he positioned his sunglasses so Rick wouldn't see him looking at her ass.

Some men didn't deserve the bro code and some women didn't deserve to be treated badly.

Had he been wrong about her? He needed to find out.

He knew she was running the fundraising bake sale this week for the kids ski trip in January and he felt like he might want some cookies.

She was right, he was an asshole.

/

Carol saw the truck turn into the parking lot and sighed in frustration. It had been a great day and they were almost sold out. Why was this guy everywhere? He was at the movies and at the dance and the garage infiltrating her life practically. She saw him at Lori and Rick's the other day hanging in the driveway. She was going to have to deal with him again now and she wasn't in the mood, she had worked all day and then came right away to the bake sale from work.

She was working on a migraine as it was and the straw that would push her over the edge had just arrived.

She turned to Tara who happened to be standing by the door. Lori was nowhere to be found and Carol wanted to get away as soon as she saw the old blue ford come in the parking lot.

"Tara can you watch the money box." Carol asked as she was standing up. "I have to pee."

"Can't, it has to be a PTA member at all times, what's the matter, you want to avoid the DILF?" Tara said with a grin on her face walking over to sit down next to her.

"What?" Carol answered incredulously." Is a DILF?"

"Ok, look you know it's not my wheelhouse but, well a lot of the moms think he's a hottie." She shrugged.

Carol watched as he made his way across the parking lot with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth as usual. He had a confident walk and it was sexy. Clearly the other Mom's had never talked to him though. Once he opened his mouth, it spoiled everything.

"I mean look at him, the sleeveless shirt, the cigarette, the swagger. DILF." Tara said as they watched him stomp out his cigarette in the parking lot. "Dad I'd like to…"

"I get it Tara." Carol said sharply.

"It's true." Tara said. "If I was inclined I'd take him out for a spin."

Carol rolled her eyes at her friend, she knew that was bullshit, Tara and Alisha had been together a long time and were getting married in the summer. Tara was full of shit right up to her brown eyes.

"If not me…. you should." Tara said. "He's a DILF."

"Stop saying that!" She said even though it was true and she knew it. The sale was almost over so there wasn't much left, Carol and Tara had been getting ready to clean up and call it a night when Daryl blew in there. Now she had to stay later.

"Your kind of late?" Carol said.

"I was working, but I'm here to support the cause." He said reaching in his pocket for some cash.

"Fine." Carol said.

"I want all your cookies." He said and then turned bright red from his neck to his ears. "I mean; I want to buy…"

 _What a fucking Freudian slip._

"Uhh." Tara said grabbing a carrot cake and trying to walk sideways out from behind the table. "I'm just gonna take this on back to Principle Horvath."

"Don't even think about it." Carol hissed and reached for Tara's wrist.

"Gotta go." Tara said. "Principle wanted some carrot cake, I'm off like a prom dress."

Tara scooted herself right out from behind the table and she and the cake disappeared down the hallway. Carol started plotting her revenge on her right at that very moment.

"So box them up, I'm buying whatever's left." He said.

She said there still snickering about what he had said. "All my cookies?" She said laughing.

"You gotta be that way? That's not what I meant." He growled.

"Hey, chillax as the kids say, I was just kidding." She said. "Anyone tell you that you have no sense of humor."

"Nope, just you, guess you bring out the best in me."

"What's your problem?" Carol said standing up. "Seriously?"

"My problem? My problem is your lady; I know what you did."

"Really? And what is it that I did." She put her hands on her hips.

"You cheated on Ed and broke up your family and my wife is dead." He pointed at her angrily, and she knew. This wasn't about her, he was grieving still and it had manifested itself totally backwards. "How is it that you get to live and my wife who only ever wanted to help people is gone?"

She felt like such a fool. It wasn't her he was mad at; it had never been her. The look on his face broke her heart.

Carol just stood there and looked at him, she could tell he was in pain, she didn't want to make it worse despite what he thought about her, she wasn't that girl.

"I'm so sorry about your wife." She simply said, because what else could she say. Defending herself felt wrong. But her daughter went to this school and knew his son, she had to clear the air before someone said something to Sophia.

"Yeah thanks."

"Daryl, my daughter goes to this school and this is a small town, is this what everyone thinks, because it isn't true." Carol said. "I would never set that kind of example for Sophia."

He looked at her and it made sense to him, he was going to stick his foot up Merle's ass when he got home tonight.

"Listen, Ed was the one who cheated, not me." She said, "Not that it's any of your business. Is that why your brother hates me?"

He didn't say anything, he just looked at her like it hadn't occurred to him that she wasn't what her ex had said. Rick tried to set him straight and he wouldn't hear it. He did have her all wrong. He could tell by her voice; she was totally shocked by what he said.

Rick had said as much and now he felt like such an ass, especially since the image of her dressed as Harley Quinn danced across his mind more than he wanted to admit.

 _You can't have it both ways, that voice in his head told him. Either be a gentleman and believe her or continue to obsess over her. He told that voice to shut the fuck up._

"Why would I lie to you; I don't give a shit what you think of me. Or what your brother thinks." Carol said as she went for the door.

"Hey." He stopped her from going out by holding the door. "I'm sorry. It wasn't even my business, your right what ever happened, happened."

She looked at him waiting to see what he was going to say, if it wasn't good she was out of there.

"Can we start over?" He asked hopefully. "You and me?"

"What you want to be friends now." She put her hands on her hips. "Fuck you Daryl."

Suddenly he knew what it was. She was just like Kelly, she was feisty and would give him a run for his money. Just like Kelly, she would never take his shit and he had to have her. It was all crystal clear now why he had not liked her, yet she floated around in his head and in his dreams since the day he met her.

Then it hit him like a brick in the face, it had been weeks since he dreamed of Kelly, there was music playing on Carol's iPhone on the table he realized.

He didn't listen to music enough, and he needed to change that. There were a few things he needed to change.

"I'm sorry Daryl, I shouldn't have said that."

"I deserved it, yeah?"

"Truce?"


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: So sorry this took so long. I got all caught up in research and what not for my OC story, anyway, here's another chapter. I have a few later chapters for this story already written so this one should move along well now. I am sorry I don't update regularly. I'm in school and have a lot of kids. Once I graduate and have more free time you all are going to get it. xoxoxoxoxox Krissy_**

"Fine." Carol said. "I'm sorry I said fuck you." She said.

"Why? I deserved it." He replied.

"Yeah, you did. But, I don't usually swear at people; you make me mad." Carol said. "And truly Daryl, I am so sorry."

"It's nothing, I was being a jerk off." He said as they stood in the hallway. "Come outside? I need a smoke."

She nodded, locking the money box and taking it in her hands and followed him out the door. She leaned against the wall as he lit his cigarette and handed it to her and then lit one for himself.

"I'm an asshole for believing gossip and judging you, I don't know who I think I am sometimes, like I have any right at all."

Carol nodded, listening to him. She took a drag of the cigarette and thought to herself they really shouldn't be smoking there on school property. She didn't have the heart to tell him not to, she wasn't the type of woman who would kick someone when they were down. And he was definitely down.

She had also over reacted herself, she was aware of that too. She didn't use the f-bomb in casual conversation at all. She had shocked herself just a few minutes ago.

"We shouldn't smoke here, and I don't know why I am, I quit years ago." She threw the cigarette down and stamped it under her foot. "You're a bad influence Daryl."

He smiled. "Been called worse." He said with the cigarette hanging out of his mouth. "By you."

She laughed and looked out into the parking lot. He really was alright, and his son was a sweet boy.

"I'm really sorry Carol. It's just, I don't know." He said. "I was an ass, I aint got no excuse."

"It's ok." She said. "I won't hold a grudge."

"Good, cause, I don't know if you noticed…"

"Oh I noticed and I know just what you're going to say." She grinned. "I'm watching closely."

"Me too." He replied.

"I like Travis, he's a good kid."

"That's all his mother, she gets all the credit for that kid."

"I disagree, it's plain to anyone that you do right by him, and done well." Carol said.

She watched his face cloud a minute and then it was gone. She was sure he went someplace else just then.

"Maybe so." He replied. "You remind me of her, of my wife Kelly."

She looked over at him as he took a long pull on his cigarette.

"You don't look like her at all, that's not it." He tossed the cigarette on the ground and put it out. "It's your personality. You have the same fire as she did."

"I take that as a compliment, thank you. Ed hated that part of me." Ed had tried to beat the fire out of her but it wouldn't go away.

"No offense but he sounds like a douchebag."

Carol laughed out loud, a vivacious, merry laugh that made him happy just to hear it. He smiled then, surprised at himself, but not uncomfortable or upset.

"I mean I never met the guy, but anyone that would drag their ex-wife and start rumors just to ease their own guilt, douchebag for sure."

She was still laughing.

"Guess I'm still a redneck asshole at heart too, though. I believed it." He said.

"You didn't know me." She said opening the door. "Now you do."

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Sophia sat down next to Carol at the table on the back deck the day before Thanksgiving. Carol was taking a break before going back inside to finish her stuffing for the turkey Lori was making the next day. They always had holiday's with the Grime's family and this year they were having an open house dinner for everyone who wanted to come.

"I hear you and Judith asked for a sleep over tomorrow night." Carol said and Sophia nodded.

"We have a project at school to do. Mr. Grimes is going to let us interview him for journalism class."

"Carl said Travis and his dad and uncle are coming and Andrea, did you know she was dating him?" Sophia asked.

"Pumpkin, I don't have time to worry about who's dating who. It's all I can do to keep up with you." She grinned at her. "You're my full time job, you know, after I work my full time job."

"Do you ever think you'll date again?" She asked, Sophia was starting to worry about her mother. If Mr. Merle who worked on Connie found someone that meant her mother was the only single person she knew. At her age she couldn't fathom how it was her choice.

Sophia liked boys so much and one in particular.

"Honey, I…"

"They aren't all like him." Sophia said softly.

"I know honey, I'm just… I'll know when I'm ready."

"I know he hit you."

"I'm sorry that you have to know that." Carol replied saddened by the fact that Sophia did know.

"I also know what he said about you all the time, I hope he leaves us alone."

"He will honey, He's Jackie's problem now."

Sophia shuddered. "I always hated her."

"I don't want you to hate anyone Sophia. She is going to be like I was and that's sad."

"Sad for her." Sophia said grabbing her mother's hand. "Not you, you're strong and my hero."

Carol smiled a wry smile at her. "Sophia, I didn't have an education, going to online school while Ed wasn't looking was a dangerous thing for me to do, but it got me ready to take care of us. It was so hard though honey. Promise me you'll finish college."

"I promise."

Carol squeezed her hand. "I know you like this Travis and he seems like a nice boy, but boys, well…you just have to be able to take care of yourself, in case."

"I'm going to law school, Miss. Andrea said I can intern this summer, I'll be in the same building as you and Mr. Eugene."

"We can car pool."

"Can I drive Connie?"

"Ahh…" Carol stuttered. It wasn't that she didn't want Sophia to drive her car, but Connie was old and temperamental, and she needed an easy foot.

"Travis said his Dad and he are working on a truck for him, I'll just get him or Carl to drive me around."

"Don't they sell cars at their place too?"

Sophia nodded a smile breaking out on her face.

"Maybe we could find you something." She said.

Sophia couldn't hide her excitement and Carol knew the minute they were done talking she was going to be texting her friends. She was getting a car.

"I have money saved, from work and babysitting, almost fifteen hundred dollars saved."

Carol nodded. She remembered what it was like to be Sophia's age and so full of dreams. Life was stretched out before her and she could do and be anything. Sometimes Carol felt like staying with Ed had set the wrong example for Sophia, but it was times like this that told her, she had done alright in the end.

Sophia was going to be something.


	9. Chapter 9

_**I have been working on this chapter forever and it was giving me fits, I still feel like its meh, but you all will let me know xoxoxoxox Krissy**_

Thanksgiving at the Grimes house was always an adventure on where exactly you could sit. Throughout the day they had no less than thirty people in and out the door, there were people inside and outside at tables. It was a good thing the weather had cooperated this year. In other years it didn't go that well, and they had to have everyone inside. But not this year, they were able to be outside and Merle and Rick deep fried a turkey and Lori baked another in the house.

She had invited them when she found out from Sophia that they were planning on staying home, just the three of them. Lori was not having anyone be alone on a holiday, she just wasn't.

The kids were all helping as much as they could and they spent a lot of time running between the houses to get things Carol forgot or that Lori needed. The music was good and the company better. Merle brought his girl Andrea and she already knew most of the people there. She was a local girl as were most of the people there.

By three o'clock Rick's partner and Andrea's brother, Shane Walsh had Carol cornered in the kitchen. He had a few drinks and was coming on to her, but he really didn't need the drinks, this wasn't the first time. He and Carol knew each other from college and he had half carried a torch for her still.

As always she was trying to let him down easy. He was a sweet man but she just wasn't interested. There were no hard feelings and he took it like a gentleman, but he always kept trying.

She just didn't feel a spark with Shane, she knew you needed a spark with someone, her years of having what she didn't want with Ed showed her what she did want.

She would settle for nothing less than fireworks. If she ever got involved with someone again.

Carl, Sophia, Judith, Travis and Tiffany from across the street on the other side of Carol were at the kitchen table playing Cards Against Humanity. Everyone else was scattered through the house, but Carol looked up and Merle Dixon was approaching.

"A word miss Carol, do you mind?" He said.

Carol turned around to meet his eyes and he gave her a short smile.

"Shane do you mind?" Carol said.

"No, not at all. I'll catch you before you leave." He said walking back out the patio door, and Carol turned to Merle.

"What can I do for you Merle?"

"My, uh, my brother says I owe you an apology." Merle said.

"He does?"

"Yeah, you do." She turned and the other blue eyed Dixon was behind her. "Sorry for interrupting you macking on officer Walsh there."

She put her hands on her hips. "I was not macking on him. Apology accepted Merle, I understand that you had only one side of the story." She turned to Daryl. "But you? Are you trying to get on my bad side again, trust me that is not me macking on someone, and what are we? Their age." She pointed to the kids. "You're ridiculous."

Carol turned and stalked out on to the patio.

Merle turned to Daryl with a laugh and a grin on his face. "When are you taking her out?"

"I aint taking her out." Daryl huffed. "We made peace but she's still annoying."

"Yeah annoying you in that _I wanna bang you way."_ Merle whispered.

"Shut up Merle."

"That's some denial, she's just your type. Don't know why you like difficult women but whatever. You do." He watched Daryl's mouth drop open like a fish and start to object but Merle wasn't having it. "You wanna work for it, have to chase them all the time and that's on you."

Merle grinned.

"What are you going on about."

"She don't remind you of Kelly, with her take no prisoners or bullshit attitude?"

"No, she does." Daryl admitted, he knew that from almost the first time he met her.

"So what's the problem." Merle said. "That's your type."

"Thought you didn't like her."

"Maybe I do, and maybe I don't, but you see, I like you and Travis more than I don't like her." Merle said. "Besides you were right and I was wrong, don't let it get around ok?"

"Whatever."

"Hey." Merle touched his shoulder before Daryl walked away. "Ed lied about her, guess I always knew that."

"Don't matter." Daryl replied.

"You keep telling yourself that brother, as long as you like. But I see it, it's coming back." Merle pointed to him.

"What's coming back?" Daryl leaned against the counter.

"That spark in your eye, aint seen it for a while, and I remember the first time I seen it too." Merle said. "Actually I heard it first, that day you called me from school and told me about meeting a girl called Kelly and how she told you to get lost."

Daryl huffed and crossed his arms.

"Nope, no meet cute for my brother, ever." Merle laughed. "At least I met Andrea in the super market, but not you. No, you have to pick the most contrary woman you can find and chase her all over the place until she says yes to you."

"Would you knock it off, Travis and Sophia are right over there." Daryl hissed.

"Alright, but mark my words and write this down, I'm calling it right now." He pointed at his younger brother. "She's the one."

Merle said and he walked outside through the patio doors leaving Daryl staring out after him.

"Asshole." Daryl growled.

A few minutes later Lori came through the patio door and said quietly to everyone. "Dessert."

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Soon most of the people were gone and it was just Carol, Sophia, Merle Andrea, Daryl and Travis. Sophia and Travis had already talked about possibly getting her a car from the lot adjacent to their garage. Carol wasn't surprised that Sophia had talked to her friends. Carl was getting a car and next month and so was Judith. She just grew up so fast when Carol wasn't looking.

The Grimes kids, she had known them almost all their lives and they had grown up before her eyes. They were like her own and she smiled a happy smile about these wonderful kids that were before her now.

"So mom, what do you think?"

"Hmm?"

"Mr. Dixon said they'd give us a twenty percent discount."

Carol looked over at Merle and Travis. "Oh, no, we can't."

"Yes you can." Daryl said from where he was on the other side of the room with Rick.

"No, we really can't." Carol said.

"Mom!" Sophia said.

Carol shook her head. "Not here Sophia, we'll talk at home. Thanks though Merle but no, we just can't."

"It's alright sugar, it would be my pleasure." Merle said.

"Mom can you think about it please?"

"I will. I'll think about it." Carol said. "OK, are you happy?" She laughed and Sophia was grinning from ear to ear and it was just then that Carol noticed she was holding Travis's hand. She looked over at Daryl, and he had noticed too.

It was like a silent agreement between them to keep an eye on those two. He nodded his head at her and she nodded hers back.

Merle rubbed his hands together. "Ok good, glad we got that out of the way."

Andrea rolled her eyes at Carol and she smiled. Shane was her older brother and she knew all about his crush on Carol. Lori came over with a pot of coffee and refilled all the coffees for everyone. The kids got up from the table so that Lori, Rick and Daryl could sit down.

"We're going to watch TV." Carl said and they all walked out one after the other into the den leaving the adults at the kitchen table together.

"That was some great meal Lori." Shane said.

"Thanks, Carol and Sophia made the stuffing."

"That was banging." Shane said across the table from her. "What did you put in it and more important what else can you make."

Andrea rolled her eyes, Shane had been after her for such a long time, she looked over at Carol and smiled weakly. Merle threw his arm around her and leaned over to Daryl.

"Walsh is making big time googly eyes at her." Mere whispered in his brother's ear. "Better get in there before it's too late."

Daryl leaned closer to Mere. "Fuck off."

Sophia came running back from the living room to talk to Carol. "Can we go look for a car tomorrow?" She asked her mother and then turned to Merle and Daryl. "Travis says you guys are open because its black Friday."

"Sure, Merle? That ok with you?" Carol replied.

"Come by anytime ladies." Merle said. "I got a few first time type cars you might like Peaches." He grinned at Sophia. Merle had a soft spot for kids and this kid in particular for some reason. He felt like a jerk for the things he had said about her mother and hoped for a chance to make it up to her somehow.

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Sophia and Carol arrived at the garage/dealership at ten am, Merle was nowhere to be found but Travis and Daryl were there. They spent a little time looking through the cars they had there and finally found Merle in the garage part of the business changing the oil in his motorcycle. Travis took Sophia out back to look at the truck he and Daryl were building for him. They sat down at one of the desks and he offered her coffee which she declined.

Of course Sophia had found a car she liked. Now it was time to talk numbers.

"We can give it to you for two grand."

"What? It's listed at thirty- five hundred." Carol said incredulously.

"We give discounts at my discretion and Merle's."

"No, I can't take that." She said. "I can afford it, with what Sophia saved."

"Why not, we're friends now."

"I just can't, I don't want to be beholden to you." Carol said. "It's a lot of money."

"I don't even know what that means?" Daryl said. "I…"

"Don't think I don't appreciate the gesture, because I do." Carol said, standing up. "But we just can't."

"Carol, really it's no big deal, we have a markup scale."

She shook her head as she stepped towards the glass doors to the parking lot.

"You won't take a cup of coffee and you won't take a discount, are you still mad?" He said grinning. "Cause I thought we worked all of that out already."

He put his hand up to block her from opening the door.

"I don't like taking no for an answer, I have a hard time with it, Carol." He said. "Makes me want to keep asking until you give in."

"It won't work Daryl."

"Why you always got to say no to me?" He asked, knowing he was about to jump off the cliff right now.

She shook her head at him and that infuriated him. She was still the most annoying person he had ever met, even if they were on better terms now.

"Have dinner with me." _Where the fuck did that come from._

"I…"

He stared at her, daring her to refuse him.

She put her hands on her hips. "Fine."

"Fine?" Daryl said, actually shocked that she was agreeing.

"Yes, but you aren't talking me into this so forget it."

"We'll see." He replied.

"You're incredulous."

"Whatever that means…" He said. "You use too many pretty words, with that pretty mouth of yours."

Carol went for the door but he was too quick and he had her up against it before she knew what happened. One minute she was reaching to pull it open and the next she was in his arms. His lips were on her and a jolt went through her the likes of which she hadn't felt before. Ever. She wanted to push him away just on principle, but she couldn't.

The feel of his hard body against her was already making her loose her footing. Carol found herself, much to her shock, putting her arms around him as his tongue begged for entrance into her mouth.

She moved her head and parted her lips allowing him access and he took full advantage of it. Before she knew it she was against the glass door and he was pressed up against her, devouring her mouth with his. Carol had never been so thoroughly kissed ever in her life, it took her breath away.

/

Sophia and Travis came around the corner and saw them against the door. They stopped short as Daryl backed her into the glass wall and grabbed her. Sophia smacked Travis on the arm, her mother's back was against the glass and Travis' father had her in a death grip. She could see his hands moving over her mother's arms and holding her in place. Carol wasn't fighting him either, her hands went up into his hair like they had a mind of their own.

"Oh, holy shit." Sophia said, covering her eyes with her hand. Travis grabbed her hand and pulled her around the side of the building.

"I did not need to see that." Sophia laughed.

"Just pretend we didn't." Travis laughed and under his breath whispered "Holy shit is right."

They turned to walk the other way but Travis was grinning from ear to ear.


	10. Chapter 10

"I told you once already, I won't let you discount for me." Daryl had his phone on speaker while he was getting dressed in his room. It was the Saturday after black Friday and she still hadn't consented to buying Sophia's car at their cost. They had left the dealership without a car but with plans to go out the next night. Travis wouldn't let up on him all Friday night, he was so happy that his father was going out and he pestered him with suggestions on where to go and what to do. Merle just shook his head at both of them.

"Carol, I told you…"

"You know what, forget it. I can't do this with you."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." And he hung up the phone, tossing it on the bed and pulling a shirt over his head.

Merle was in the kitchen snickering when Daryl came out a few minutes later.

"She try and call it off?" He laughed.

"Yeah, but I'm not listening." Daryl said opening the refrigerator and taking out a soda. "Taking her out on the bike."

"Where ya going?"

"She wants to go to that joint with the roof top tables."

"Didn't sound like she wanted to go anywhere." Merle remarked.

Daryl sipped his soda. "She's just being ornery."

"Ya think?" Merle cackled again as Travis walked in from outside, through the back door.

"What's so funny?" Travis asked.

"Oh nothing, your father and his date are fighting again."

"So what else is new?" Travis replied with a grin on his face. "He likes to fight with her."

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Sophia ran into Carol's room with one of her new shirts. Carol was zipping up her jeans and pulling on her boots when Sophia burst through the door.

"You have to wear this one mom, its lavender, that's your color."

"What's wrong with this one?" She held up her brown shirt by the hem as Sophia shook her head.

"No, this one." She gave her the shirt. "It makes your eyes pop."

"Oh for God's sake Soph, this is just a date, just one date." Carol said.

"Your first date since the divorce and I want you to have fun."

"Sophia."

"Mom." She turned and looked out the window. "Oh! He brought his motorcycle." She said walking to the window and looking down into the street. "Change your shirt and grab that leather jacket Dad always hated."

She went for the door and turned back at her mother.

"Change Mom, go ahead and I'll let him in."

Carol stood shaking her head in her room, but she did change her shirt. Then she went to her closet and grabbed her leather jacket that Ed had threatened to burn, back in the day. It was a brown bomber jacket and she loved the way it felt and looked on her.

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Carol hadn't been on a bike since she was a young girl and she had to admit, flying down the road and holding onto him was great. His body was all hard planes and angular and it reminded her how much she missed the company of a safe man. Being on a bike made a person feel like they were flying, at least that was how it felt to her.

Despite the way they started out and despite the bickering they always seemed to do, he made her feel safe. Both on the bike and otherwise. He argued with her but she knew he would never raise a hand to her, he just wasn't that guy.

They stopped at a traffic light and he absentmindedly reached back to touch her outer leg. It was an old habit from another time and it felt right and he noticed she didn't stop him either. She just ran her hands under his jacket and pulled herself against him.

He could get used to this, he thought wirily.

She was soft against his back and he swore he felt her take a deep breath and inhale his cologne. Travis had made him wear it and at the time he felt like an idiot, but now he was smiling.

They arrived to the restaurant and he kicked out the kickstand. Carol got off the bike and handed him the helmet.

"That was great, I haven't been on a bike in so long." She said with a smile as they walked towards the restaurant. "Thank you."

"It's nothing." He smiled over at her. "You ever been here before."

Carol nodded. "I know the owners, best ribs in town."

"I'm a vegetarian." He said.

"Bullshit." She grinned over at him and they both laughed.

They walked up the wooden steps to the restaurant and were met by one of the three owners, a regal black woman named Jackie.

"Well, hello there, Carol. "She said pulling Carol into a hug and when she was done she turned to Daryl. "Merle's brother right?"

Daryl nodded. "You know Merle?" He asked, thinking this town was smaller than he thought.

Jackie nodded. "He and my girl Andrea are here every week, he likes Tyreese's onion rings." She grinned. "What's your name sugar?"

"Daryl." He said shaking her hand and she pulled him into a hug. "Don't mind me sugar, I love your brother and I'm sure I'm gonna love you too."

She turned to Carol.

"You sitting upstairs?"

Carol nodded. "Is there music tonight?"

Jackie nodded and Carol smiled wide, she thanked Jackie and took Daryl by the hand and up the back steps to the roof top dining room. There were about five or six tables and three had people at them eating what looked like delicious food. Jackie's husband Theodore was at an old piano in the corner and singing an old blues song, he looked up and smiled at Carol as they took a seat at one of the tables.

"This place is great." Daryl remarked. As the other owner's wife came over to give them menus. She and Carol knew each other from the PTA, Karen and Tyreese' four kids went all through school with Sophia.

"Hey Karen." Carol said. "Ty cooking tonight."

Karen nodded, her face beaming with pride for her husband. "I recommend the pulled pork tonight, It's to die for."

They both nodded and ordered accordingly, plus the onion rings.

"Ski trip is coming up soon." Daryl said.

Carol nodded. "Have you ever skied?"

Daryl nodded. "When I lived up north."

"I never have, that's why Soph wants to go so bad, we've never been."

"I actually was going to bring our snow boards too, it's close to surfing, Travis likes that better than skiing."

"How about you?" Carol asked.

"Snowboarding too, we can teach you guys."

"I don't know how to do any of it, I don't want to ruin your fun or Travis's."

Karen re appeared with their food which made Daryl's eyes go wide.

"I told Ty it was for you Carol and he made it special for ya." She said as she placed two heaping plates in front of each of them.

"Oh tell him thank you." Carol said and Daryl nodded in agreement. Karen smiled and reminded them to call if they needed anything. Then she left them on their own to eat and talk.

"This place is amazing." He said looking down at his plate and around at the country like surroundings of the roof top dining area.

"I know, it's the best there is."

"So back to the skiing." Daryl said cutting his dinner. "Snowboarding isn't as hard as it looks."

"I'll keep it in mind." She said taking a sip of her drink.

"You can let me do anything for you, can you?"

She shook her head.

"Yeah." He nodded. "We'll see about that."

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~Trav you there?

~Yeah.

~Have you heard anything?

~Nope.

~No news is good news right.

~I don't hear any sirens either so they didn't kill each other.

~Not yet.

 _ **Thank you for reading and please let me know what you think.**_


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Many thanks to Magenta's Nightmare for reminding me to post this. This was the chapter I imagined when I started this story. Eleven chapters and no sex, I know right. Buckle up, here it comes. Let me know what you think :)**_

After dinner Carol's phone went off and she looked down and then up apologetically. They were standing at the overlook of the restaurant, looking down at the lake behind them. The view was wonderful and the night was warm.

"It's Sophia." Carol grinned. "Reminding me I have a curfew."

"You do?" Daryl leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. "Are you gonna get grounded?"

"Apparently." Carol laughed. "What time is it anyway?"

"Ten."

"Oh, I'm already out past what she's allowed, that's why she's texting." Carol smiled and nodded her head as she texted Sophia back.

"You know." Daryl tuned to her. "If she had that little car she wants, I bet she'd lighten up, a lot."

He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

"You aren't going to let that go." She said as they turned to go.

He shook his head. "Probably not."

"You should, I won't change my mind." She smiled over her shoulder at him.

"Why you got to be that way?" He said jokingly.

Carol didn't know why she had to be so independent, but she did. Even years after the nightmare that was Ed, she still insisted on not ever accepting help from others. In the end Daryl accepted that about her, but it bothered him.

He was generous with people he cared about and he was starting to care about her, which made him smile, since they started out on such a bad note.

They ended this night on a good note and each one of them went home to their child who were both full of questions.

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At breakfast the next day all Sophia wanted to know was if they were going out again. The fireworks that went off whenever they were together were obvious to everyone, even Carol felt it, but it wasn't something she was discussing with her child. Sophia couldn't forget that kiss she and Travis witnessed, it was like a kiss from a movie. It was a lovers kiss, even Sophia knew that. But Carol kept her mouth shut and went out with him again a week later.

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Three weeks later

Carol was sitting out on her deck when she heard his bike pull up. By the way he cut the engine and got off she knew he was pissed. She heard him slam the kickstand down and jump off in a rage. She pulled her hoodie on and got up from her chair. Carol padded in through the French doors, fixing her sweats that were hanging too low and leaving her book on the kitchen table.

She was laughing to herself with a little grin on her face. He was so predictable and she wasn't surprised that he was banging on her door now.

They had been out on two dates and they fought both times. The first time because he wanted to pay the bill and she argued with him about it, he won that fight. The second time they fought about music, both times it was in fun but with that underlying tension. Plus, Carol had insisted on paying full price for Sophia's car. That irked him so much.

 _They liked to push each other's buttons._

She stopped and turned on the stereo, her IPod was a mixed bag of grunge that would surly make his ears bleed. First up un 'Aneurysm' by Nirvana.

She opened the door and he was standing there breathing heavy like he had run there, but she saw his motorcycle in the driveway and heard it, so she knew he was just mad.

He knew Sophia wasn't home because they had just talked on the phone, Sophia was at Lori's sleeping over with Judith. She had pissed him off when she hung up on him and as he stood there on her porch looking at her he was considering committing murder.

She infuriated him like no other woman ever, she made him so mad he had to leave his house and come all the way over here. It was just going to be a continuation of the fight and he was half expecting her to slam the door in his face. But she didn't she just stood there looking at him.

"This discussion isn't over." He said, because she was being stubborn for no good reason.

"Why? Because you say so?" She said.

He huffed and then he was walking towards her and kicking the door shut with his foot.

"Why can't I give you a discount at the shop now, you've been paying tons for Connie?" He said. "You're a single mother, I'm sure…"

"I don't need…. And I don't want it."

"You are the most difficult woman I have ever met." He breathed out, thinking that he never enjoyed sparring with someone verbally the way he enjoyed it with her. She was the most difficult woman he had ever met, that wasn't a lie and he couldn't wait to touch her again. "And you hung up on me."

She nodded. "I'll do it again too if you make me mad."

"Why can't you let me help you?"

"Because I can handle it." Carol said with her hands on her hips.

She said walking into the living room and he followed.

"I won't bill you, I won't take your money." He said.

She turned around and stepped up so that she was right in his face.

"Accept it Daryl, I'm not doing this your way." Carol said. "You work on Connie and I pay you, that's how it is."

"You are the most exasperating woman I have ever met." He said, realizing he was incredibly turned on now. It was far beyond wanting to touch her, he wanted so much more now.

"And you're a pain in my ass." She said. He was a pain in her ass and she was two seconds from launching herself at him.

They stared at each other for a beat. His eyes raked over her slowly, she was breathing heavy now, because again they had been fighting and it was so hot.

"Your music sucks." He said.

He stared at her lips and she bit her bottom lip. _Holy hell._ That was so fucking sexy and he was only human. He was going to break soon and then it would be on.

She looked up at him through her lashes and he just knew she was going to say something to drive him crazy. She always did. She was dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt and he never saw her look better.

"It's Nirvana. They blow away that country bullshit you…"

He crashed his mouth down on hers and the fire that started that day in September and that came to a boil on the day after Thanksgiving was instantly ignited again. She wrapped her arms around him and he pulled her up against him hard.

She let out a gasp but he didn't stop, not this time.

Daryl moved his hands down to her ass, holding her right where he wanted her. He pushed his tongue into her mouth bringing one hand to the back of her head to hold her in place.

He wasn't trying to keep her from getting away or anything, he just had to feel her against him. He needed it like air. He was surrounded by the feel of her and the smell of her, it was terrifying and exhilarating all at once and too much. Not enough.

They started walking backwards towards the wall with their arms and lips going all over each other as if they couldn't get enough. She reached her hands up into his hair and held on tight as he kissed her like she had never been kissed before.

Carol felt devoured, consumed and totally overwhelmed by him in the best possible way. His kisses left her wanting more and more, his hands made her feel adored. Carol never felt such astounding desire from another person, or herself.

 _She wanted him. How long had it been since she wanted someone like this?_

Daryl backed her up against the wall in the hallway and he pressed right up to her, grinding his hips into her until there was no space between their bodies at all. There was nothing but the sensation of being pressed up against each other. The demanding longing their bodies would not resist.

Carol let out a moan as his tongue found hers and ran her hands up his back. The sensation that brought made his whole being respond. He felt a shiver go through his entire body, starting where her hands were, down his spine and landing right in his dick. Then she brought her leg up and wound it around his leg and it was he that moaned that time.

He brought his hand up over her side and ribs, this time rubbing his fingers on her purposefully, and continued sliding his tongue against hers slow and sexy. She loved the feel of his hands on her, just like the first time at the movies and she kissed him back with everything she had inside of her.

"How about now." He said in between kisses. "We gonna fight about this too." He said against her lips and she smiled reaching up to take her hair out of the messy bun it was in. She let it fall down over her shoulders in waves and he could smell the coconut and lemongrass as he shoved his face in her hair.

Then she pulled herself up into his arms so that her legs were around his waist and drew him closer still. She could feel his dick against her, hard as a rock and she groaned out loud as he adjusted his grip on her legs. The friction was making them both dizzy and he had to get her to a bed right away.

"What do you think?" She said still kissing him.

"I think I'm going to teach you a lesson." And she sighed as he pulled them away from the wall. "Where's your room?"

"All the way to the end of the hallway." She breathed out as he carried her down the hall, with her legs still around his waist.

"You have a big mouth Carol and you never shut up." He said tossing her on the bed.

"And you always think you're right." She said leaning up on her elbows.

He kicked off his shoes and grabbed her by the ankles. He smiled down at her as he pulled her slowly to the foot of the bed. The sparkle in her eyes urging him on as he untied her shoe, took it off and dropped it on the floor.

"I am always right." He said and then he took the other shoe off. "You'll see."

"You are so obnoxious." She said.

He grinned down at her, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "You have no idea."

She pulled him down by his shirt and yanked it over his head, tossing it on the floor. He grinned and he crawled over her until they were both laying on the bed.

"Oh, I have an idea. I've been dealing with you for months now." She said letting her head fall back against the pillows as his hands reached under her shirt.

"That's nothing." He said bringing his mouth down onto her neck and biting softly and enough to make her arch her back. "Now you're really gonna have to deal with me." He said into her neck biting softly again then he licked where he had bitten, soothing her skin. She tasted sweeter than the ripest strawberries, he savored her and gently blew hot air where he had just nipped her.

Carol, let out a groan and squirmed under him. He liked the way she responded to him and it fueled the fire burning deep inside of him.

"I'm going to deal with you too" He said pulling her shirt over her head. She wasn't wearing a bra and his eyes almost rolled in to the back of his head when he saw her. She was perfect, and she was worth the wait.

Slowly he brought his hand up over her stomach and from her ribs to her breast. She surrendered completely to his touch without reservation and he could feel the heat coming from her in waves. It was so incredibly arousing to him.

Daryl leaned down and kissed her again as his fingers stroked the side of her breast softly. His touch was gentle and she was melting under his warm hands. He kissed down her neck, hot and wet and watched the goose bumps break out along her skin.

"You're beautiful." He whispered.

He kissed and licked his way down to her other breast zeroing in quickly on her nipple grazing his teeth against it first and then licking. His hand brushed against her other side and she let out a sound so primal it almost alarmed her.

"Oh fuck, Daryl, fuck, fuck." She groaned, reaching her hand into his hair and grabbing a handful and pulling.

"Oh, darlin." He looked up at her and letting the scruff from his beard caress her skin. "We're just getting started."

He watched as her breathing sped up with every word he said. The rise and fall of her chest mesmerized him and he couldn't stop gazing at her.

"Bring it." She said pulling him up to kiss her hot and dirty. He kept his other hand on her breast still making circles with his fingers all around her nipple. He kissed her thoroughly, and between hot kisses and his hands she could feel the ache building between her legs.

It was coming faster and faster than ever before.

"Tell me to stop." He groaned against her neck, his hands inching towards her sweatpants.

"Don't stop." She panted out "Please." She reached for his belt buckle and unbuckled his pants, her hands fumbling with the belt and buttons. _He had too many clothes on, she needed his skin against hers._

"I won't. I won't." He said in between kisses and helping her unbutton his jeans, then his hands were right back to the waistband of her sweatpants. He laid the palm of his hand on her stomach and her hips were rolling in a way that made his dick throb.

 _Thank God she didn't say stop._

He reached down and slid his fingers against the material of her pants and her knees fell apart and against the bed. She was malleable to his touch at the first contact, without hesitation or uncertainty and that was all he needed to continue.

 _His dick wasn't letting him stop now anyway. Not unless she said stop._

Carol was halfway there already, and she would think _that_ over later because she didn't want to miss a moment of this. She shut her brain off and just let herself feel for once in her life.

She was so wet already and he'd barely touched her, and now that he was touching her, even over her clothes, she was ready to explode.

Her heart was beating out of her chest and she felt like she was burning up. She pulled her hand through her hair and it was damp against her forehead. He didn't stop and the feeling of him against her at the same time made her weak with need.

 _There was something about him and the way he made her feel that was overwhelming her senses and body._

She raised her hips to shimmy out of her pants and pulled at his jeans in a fever until they both had nothing else on.

His eyes went down to her hip where there was tattoo of a butterfly done in purple and pink. He brought his lips down over her stomach slowly, leaving wet kisses along the way and kissed the tattoo. His hands were on her thighs bringing them apart slowly.

"This is gonna be so good, sweetheart." He whispered in that gravely, whiskey hot voice that made all the hair stand up on her body.

She exhaled as she felt his fingers on her and then his lips, then his tongue. She knew by the way he kissed her that this was going to be an experience. She buried her hands in his hair and hung on while he completely turned her into a quivering, screaming lunatic.

He licked greedily and with purpose as if he was struck with unquenchable thirst for her that wouldn't be satisfied until she fell completely apart.

Then she was reaching for him with desperate and frantic hands until he was right there. She pulled his face to hers and placed eager kisses on his lips, rocking herself against him.

"Do it." She breathed out. "Now."

She spread her legs apart and pulled him down on top of her, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Carol…I." She wouldn't wait another second, she moved against him and pulled him inside her. "Fuuccckkk."

She gasped out a breath and neither of them moved, the sweat from both of their bodies mixed and they glided against each other slowly.

"I'm done fucking around." She said.

"I see that." He said leaning down to kiss her again, he couldn't get enough now.

She moved her hips up against his. "Move."

He moved against her achingly slow. "You want more?" She nodded. "Tell me."

"More." He pulled out almost ball the way then slammed back into her. Carol's arms wound under his and she pulled him by his shoulders. "More." She met his eyes. "Harder."

"Fuck." He didn't look away.

"Harder."

"God damn Carol."

He kissed her again, holding her tight as both their hips slammed against each other. All he could hear was her breathing and her voice telling him to go harder and harder until it over took his mind first and then his body.

He reached down between them to stroke her again before he let himself go completely. He had to feel it, he had to feel her body let go while he was inside her.

"Come on sweetheart, come on me, come all over my dick." He pleaded. "Come on."

Then he felt it and he heard it as she screamed out his name and he followed her over the cliff and into oblivion.


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Here's a short update as I get my act together again with all my stories, I hope you enjoy.**_

He was still inside her when he rolled them over so that she was on top of him. He looked up at her and smiled. Daryl felt guilty now, like he had attacked her. She had responded to him, that was true, responded like no other woman he had ever been with. Carol seemed happy, as he looked up at her he tried to read her mind.

This could not be a one-time thing; it just couldn't be. Heart pounding skin biting sex didn't come along every day, even Daryl knew that.

He hoped they were on the same page about this, now that they had fucked each other's brains out, literally.

People said it all the time, ' _You met your match or he finally met his match.'_

But they didn't really know what that meant, but he did now. He knew what people were talking about when they said they had passion, he had that before. It was different with her though, that underlying current of acrimony and malice between them caused a white hot fire that he wanted more of. She was only the third person he ever had been with, and for the last years it had been Kelly.

"Hey." He said softly not breaking eye contact with her.

"Hey." She answered with a grin as she looked down at him.

He slid his hands over her hips. "That was…"

She nodded. "I know…"

Then she did the most incredible thing and set his mind at ease for the moment about his actions. She leaned down and kissed him.

"Carol…I…" He started.

"I'm not sorry, please don't say you are." She looked down at him and for the first time since he had met her he saw a vulnerability that she never let the world see, and certainly never let him see.

"I'm not sorry, I'm actually looking forward to us getting along better." He answered, running his hands over her hips.

"Oh don't get crazy, Daryl." She laughed. "You have horrible taste in music and are more than a little annoying."

"Speak for yourself." He smiled up at her and rolled them back over so that he was on top of her again. He could not deny that this felt right. _Hate sex or not, he wanted so much more._

Where it had always felt wrong to do this any other time since Kelly, it felt right now. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer.

"It's all good, you know how to throw it down, we can compromise on the music Daryl." She laughed and he got a grin on his face that made her wonder what he was up to.

"Do you like dancing?" He asked her, brushing her hair away from her face.

"No, I can't really…" She said and he kissed her.

"Yes you can, I wanna take you out tonight." He answered. "Someplace we can dance together. I can show you."

"You dance?" She asked as he moved his hips against hers slowly and kissed down her neck in the early morning darkness.

"Um hmmm." He said burying his face into her hair and breathing her in. She smelled like lemongrass and he couldn't get enough of it.

The second part of his life was starting, it had started the day he met her months ago and he didn't know it. He knew it now.

/

"Carl can you imagine how the ski trip is going to be now?" Sophia said the next day as she stood on the Grimes porch and looked at Daryl's motorcycle in the driveway. She had wanted to call Travis and tell him that his father was with her mother all night, but he was at work. Probably he already knew anyway. Sophia just couldn't believe it, her mother never had a guy stay overnight, ever.

She was about to turn to Carl and say something, but she never had the chance. There was something even more shocking about to happen.

Then they heard the strangest thing. "Goes Down Easy" by Van Zant was coming from inside her house. There was something other than Nirvana and Pearl Jam playing across the street. Sophia was sure her mother must have fallen and hit her head.

"What the hell." Sophia was off the porch and walking quickly towards her house, Carl trailed after her. This was going to be a clusterfuck.

"Wait, Soph, maybe you don't wanna..." But it was too late, she was at her living room window in an instant.

"She hates country music, hates it." Sophia hissed.

They arrived at the window and Judith came running across the street too, just in time for them to see Daryl showing Carol how to do the line dance that people did to that song. They were obviously the only two in the room, yet when the dance called for her to be in front of him, he held her close. In a crowded bar that happened when every redneck from here to Kentucky was there. Sometimes people were in a line like sardines, but now? Sophia saw no need for him to be so close to her.

"Holy mother of God." Sophia said in shock.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph." Carl said in utter shock. Did she let Daryl put the country station on the radio? The apocalypse was surely upon them.

Sophia ripped out her phone and sent a text off to Travis.

~Get the hell over here.

Then she looked over at her friends as they watched Carol and her arch nemesis dancing in the living room. Clearly they had worked out their differences, even though they continued to fight the two times they had gone on dates.

"She moved the coffee table Soph." Judith said slowly. "Who would have thought your mom could dance like that?"

"Not me." Sophia sighed.


	13. Chapter 13

**This is the last chapter of this story. I am sorry it took so long to finish, please let me know what you think xxxxxkrissy**

Travis arrived and got out of his car in a hurry, the shop wasn't too far from Carol's house and Sophia's text had a panic sound to it. He told Merle he would be back as soon as he could and Merle was already laughing when he left. Sophia sometimes over reacted, that was true, but she was still getting used to her mother dating Travis's father.

Travis was thrilled, she had brought his father back to him, back to life.

But Sophia was in a panic now. God only knew what was going on now.

She had simply said get over here and he didn't know what he was going to face.

Travis had an idea of who was involved in this situation and it was confirmed as soon as he got there. He felt like the father, chasing the teenage son, not the other way around, as it usually was.

The first thing he noticed was his father's bike in the alley, then Sophia, Carl and Judith who were still glued to the window and he figured that was trouble.

The truth was his father hadn't come home the night before and he kind of had a clue about how this was going down, but clearly Sophia didn't.

Travis came up behind Sophia and now he saw what the big deal was. His father and Carol were dancing slow now to 'Love Hurts' by Incubus in her living room. That was her music, not his and Travis was astounded. His father didn't even know who Incubus was, to his knowledge and he smiled at that. He knew that his mother would be happy about this, wherever she was. Carol was a good person and she made him happy.

 _Love hurts, but sometimes it's a good hurt and it feels like I'm alive, Love sings, when it transcends the bad things. Have a heart and try me, because without love I won't survive._

"Do you believe this Trav?" Sophia said.

He did a double take because he had never seen his father dance that way with anyone before. It was slow and sweet, the way he danced with Sophia at the dance. They were holding each other so close and whispering to each other, Sophia turned to him and just shook her head.

"I think they're…"

"Yeah." Travis touched her arm and nodded. "He didn't come home last night."

"What are we going to do with these two." Sophia said as she started to stand and she lost her footing and crashed into a bush next to the window. It was not quiet and the other three tried to duck, but they had been made.

"Heads up." Travis said as they watched Daryl and Carol turn towards the window. They had been made for sure, and it was too late to run.

To their utter shock Carol and Daryl both started laughing and walking towards the window. They laughed even harder when they saw Sophia laying in the bush. Carol's laugh was music to Daryl's ears and he intended to listen to it for many years to come.

"She takes after you, I think." Daryl said nudging Carol and she smiled at him. "Very graceful, she is."

Five minutes later they were all standing in the front yard, and Travis was brushing mulch and leaves off of Sophia's back and it was going all over the place. It was two days before Christmas and that Monday they were all leaving on the ski trip. Carol and Daryl would be responsible for not just Sophia and Travis, but Carl and Judith were going along as well.

There were a few other parents going as well and a lot more kids. Lori would come for a few nights, but she had just found out she was pregnant again and wasn't feeling so well. It would be alright though because finally, Daryl and Carol were on the same page.

And they were in the same book now too.

Carol and Daryl had made peace with each other in a grand way and he had remarked that maybe they were acting like teenagers instead of the teenagers they were going to chaperone. He was well aware that they might always bicker, and maybe even fight, but that was kind of fun.

He had admitted that to her somewhere between that first frenzy of lovemaking and when he woke her up in the middle of the night for more.

That had made her laugh, her merry laugh that made his heart gallop across his chest and that was when he realized he adored her. Whatever he had against her was totally unfounded and he apologized to her more than once in the last month or so that they had been seeing each other.

She forgave him easily, she understood that he had been in pain and not channeling it the right way. Then she whispered to him that fighting with him made her blood coarse through her veins like a freight train that was going off the rails.

Off the rails was a good way to describe it and he agreed. This relationship was not going to be boring, not in the sack or in the kitchen. No matter where they were there would be fireworks, of that neither of them had a doubt.

Merle had apologized to her too, on a night a few weeks earlier when he and Daryl too her and Andrea to the movies. It was all falling into place, after being out of place for so long.

"You ok there Sophia?" Daryl asked and she turned to him.

"Are you gonna teach me to snow board or what?"

The end.


End file.
